Machine for packaging ice cream and similar frozen food products



Dec. 18, 1951 SCHULZ 2,579,096

MACHINE FOR PACKAGING ICE CREAM AND SIMILAR FROZEN FOOD PRODUCTS FiledJan. 24, 1949 5 SheetsSheet l 77 INVENTOR.

fire/mm 1?. Sam/42' BY My ATTOI/VEYS Dec. 18, 1951 H. R. SCHULZ2,579,096

MACHINE FOR PACKAGING ICE CREAM AND SIMILAR FROZEN FOOD PRODUCTS FiledJan. '24, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN T 0R. flEE/VAAMQ Sam/42 ATTdP/VEVJ Dec. 18, 1951 H. R. SCHULZ 2,579,095

MACHINE FOR PACKAGING ICE CREAM AND SIMILAR FROZEN FOOD PRODUCTS FiledJan. 24, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 j A 6 6,5 f mm 1! O 9 /,Z0 i 28 i? a ho aJ W 9 AM I N V EN TOR. JYA'PMAA/ Z. Sam/12 HTTGFA/EYJ Dec. 18, 1951 H.R. SCHULZ 2,579,096

MACHINE FOR PACKAGING ICE: CREAM AND SIMILAR FROZEN FOOD PRODUCTS FiledJan. 24, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 A TTOENEVJ H. R. SCHULZ 2,579,096

MACHINE FOR PACKAGING ICE CREAM AND SIMILAR FROZEN FOOD PRODUCTS Dec.18, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 24, 1949 2 Z? 44 WA 0 u n 1/INVENTOR. jYnMA/v 1?. Sam/L2 A T TOENEY$ Patented Dec. 18, 1951 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR PACKAGING ICE CREAM AND SIDIILAR FROZENFOOD PRODUCTS Herman R. Schulz, Altadena, Calif., assignor to RediProducts Corporation, Pasadena, Calii'., a corporation of CaliforniaApplication January 24, 1949, Serial No. 72,445

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to machines for dispensing and packaging icecream and similar foods and food products and has particular referenceto machinery by which ice cream, or similar products, prepared in massquantity, may be extruded in a shape retaining column from whichindividual portions are severed and automatically deposited intopackaging receptacles ready for further freezing, transport, storage andserving.

More particularly this invention relates to a machine which may beemployed to practice the packaging method described and claimed in theco-pending application of Herman R. Schulz, Carl G. Schulz, and AdamStuart Kedzie, Serial No. 73,782, filed January 31, 1949.

In the application above referred to there is described a method ofpreparing ice cream and similar frozen food products wherein ordinarycommercial freezing methods are employed to prepare, freeze and aeratethe.product in mass quantities. The method includes also the ejecting orextruding of the prepared product immediately from the freezer through aspout or orifice, through which the product is forced after having beenfrozen in the freezer to such consistency that the product will not flowby gravity but is instead shape-retaining. The extruded product is cutor severed into individual portions immediately as it comes from thespout and each of the severed portions falls into an individualpackaging receptacle presented in synchronism with the operation of thecutter. Then the unit comprising the portion and its receptacle areimmediately further frozen to a hard consistency for storage, transportand future serving.

It is therefore an object of this invention to .nprovide a machine whichwill extrude the stifffrozen product without loss of aeration orfineness of crystalline structure captured in the freezer and to severlengths from theextruded product to form individual portions ready forpackaging.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the type setforth above in which the spout or orifice shapes the product into astream or column of predetermined cross sectional shape and dimensionsand in which a cutter is operated in coordinated relation with the speedof movement of the column to cut therefrom predetermined lengths to formindividual portions for packages.

Still another object is to provide, with the apparatus set forth in thepreceding paragraph, a feeding mechanism which will automaticallysuccessively dispose a cup, receptacle or other packaging elementimmediately under the column a successive portions are severed to catchthe portions as they fall from the column of the product.

A still further object is to provide a machine as set forth above inwhich the successive presentation of the package element is synchronizedwith the operations of the cutter and to center the bottom of thepackage element immediately belowthe longitudinal axes of the column toinsure the resting of the portion on its bottom without toppling over.

Numerous other objects and features of the present invention will beapparent from a consideration of the following specifications, read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a frontelevation ofone preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3 taken along line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a transverse horizontal section taken along the broken line5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detailed vertical section of the dispenser tube taken alongline 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a detailed vertical section of the receptacle serving devicetaken along line 1-1 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a detailed vertical section of the severing cam taken alongline 8-8 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary front elevationsimilar to Fig. 1 showing theparts in a different phase of the operating cycle of the device; and

Fig. 10 is a wiring diagram for the device.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is illustrated oneform of apparatus which may be employed in the practice of thisinvention, such apparatus comprising generally a dispensing apparatusindicated by the reference character 65, a receptacle or cup supplystation indicated by a cup magazine 30 disposed in horizontally spacedrelation to the dispensing station, and a turret 0r carrier forconveying the receptacles one at a time from the receptacle supplystation to the dispensing station to there receive a portion of icecream or similar frozen product.

The dispensing station 45 includes a spout in the form of a dischargetube 44 from which a shaped column of the product will be extruded froma supply chamber 40, which is preferably .no receptacle be present uponits severance.

3 the exit end of a commercial batch or continuous ice cream freezer.The carrier 20 is mounted upon a shaft 22 supported for rotation betweena pair of vertically spaced plates l and H, the plate Ill being a bottomplate from which the top plate II is supported by corner stanchions I2,the space plates ill and H providing a space for the location of powerdrive mechanism for actuating the carrier and cup feed mechanism. At thedispensing station 45, the top plate H is cut away and provided with adischarge chute I! through which material may be discharged shoulg superstructure, or deck comprising a centrally located longitudinallyextending narrow bridge I3 is mounted in horizontal spaced relation overthe top plate II. The left-hand end (as shown in Fig. 1) of the bridgeI3 is supported by a transverse cross bar |4 supported at the left endof the device by extensions i5 of the left-hand corner stanchions I2.The opposite end of the bridge l3 terminates short of the right-hand endof the top plate H and is supported by intermediate stanchions I6. Thespacing here shown 01 the bridge l3 over the top plate II issubstantially equal to that between the bed l0 and the top plate Theintermediate space between top and bridge constitutes an operating areain which an indexing carrier is located.

The indexing carrier comprises a horizontally disposed carrier platehaving six equally spaced peripheral notches 2| inwhich receptacles maybe transported from a receptacle supply means to the dispensing stationand thence to discharge from the apparatus. the invention here shown,six equally spaced peripheral notches 2| are provided. The carrier plate20 is mounted upon and fixed for rotation with a carrier spindle 22journaled in the base In and top plate N. If desired, antifrictionspindle bearing may be provided in the upper and lower bearing housings23 and 24, respectively. For retaining and guiding receptacles formovement in the notches 2| of the carrier 20 there is provided aperipheral guide rail 25 supported by legs 26 from the top plate II andextending from the receptacle supply hereinafter discussed, past thedispensing station to extend over an extending product supporting apron27.

For dislodging the filled receptacles from the notches 2| and deliveringthem to the apron 21, there is provided an inner ejecting cam plate 28extending from a point near the carrier spindle 22 outwardly toward theapron 2! so that a receptacle moved from the dispensing station will beurged outwardly towards the apron. A cover plate 29 over the portion ofthe carrier between the receptacle supply station and the dispensingstation is also provided to prevent inadvertent dislodgment of thereceptacles.

Receptacles for individual sequential delivery to the notches 2| of thecarrier 2|] are supplied from an open bottomed cylindrical receptaclemagazine chamber 30 in which a nested series of receptacles is provided.The chamber 30 is mounted in vertical position over the top plate II atthe forward side of the bridge l3 slightly to the left of the carrierspindle 22 as seen in Fig. 1. As indicated in Fig. 3 the lower open endof the chamber is in direct alignment with the path of travel of thenotches 2| of the carrier plate 20. The chamber 30 is secured by anupwardly and inwardly extending supporting bracket 3|. Bracket 3| isbolted or otherwise secured to the lower end of the chamber 30 and tothe In that form of 3 top surface of the top plate II by suitablesecuring means indicated at 32. For convenience in manually adjustingreceptacles within the chamber 30, a longitudinal opening 33 is providedextending upward from the opened bottom of the chamber. Flexible fingers34 are mounted at the lower end of chamber 3! having intumed end detents35 which are received through end notches 36 of the chamber tofrictionally engage the edges oi the lowermost receptacle so as torestrain the receptacles against gravitational movement through the openlower end of the chamber.

The receptacles are individually removed from the nested stock withinthe chamber 30 and successively positioned in the notches 2| of thecarrier 20 by a vertically reciprocating pneumatic gripper including aflexible cup-like head 31. The head 31 is mounted upon a reciprocatinghollow suction tube 38 mounted for movement with its bracket 39 byoperating mechanism hereinafter discussed.

At 120 in clockwise rotation of the carrier 20 from the chamber 30 andof equal radius from the spindle 22 there is provided a dispensingstation. The dispensing station is thus located centrally between theside edges of the base In and top plate H. At the dispensing stationthere is provided a material chamber 40 which, in the present form ofthe device is preferably any commercial freezer of either the continuousor the batch type provided suitable ejecting pressure mechanism isemployed to force the product from the freezer under pressure to extrudethrough a dispensing tube assembly 4|. Assembly 4| comprises an innerflow restricting cylinder 42 mounted for communication with an innersupply tube 43 of the chamber 40 and constituting a re stricted passagefor the flow of material from the chamber 40. Cylinder 42 is mountedwithin a supporting cylinder 44, the upper edge of which is fittedbetween an outer shell 45 of the chamber 40 and its inner supply tube43. The lower end of the cylinder 42 is provided with an outward turnedguide flange 46 which is fitted within the supporting cylinder 44. Theopen lower end of the cylinder 44 is formed with an inwardly extendingannular restricting flange 41 downwardly spaced from the guide flange 46of the cylinder 42. The restricting flange 41 constitutes a dischargeopening for dispensing material from the chamber 4|! and is suitablyconfigurated to provide the final exterior configuration of theconfection units which are to be successively severed from the column ofmaterial continuously fed through the tube.

A transversely extending baflie 48 is mounted within the space formedbetween the flanges 46 and 41 and is preferably of inverted V-shapedcross-section. The baflle 48 aids in the compacting of the material inthe tube as it is supplied from the container 40 so that a compact andshaped column of the product is extruded from the cylinder 44.

The support for the tube assembly 4| is provided by the bridge l3.Cylinder 44 is mounted in an aperture of a supporting plate 50 securedby bolts 5| to the bridge l3. A split circular securing ring 52surrounds the cylinder 44 and is clamped thereto by screw 53 toadjustably regulate the downward extension of the tube through the plate50.

The ice cream or like material continuously extruded from the restrictedend of the cylinder 44 is periodically severed into uniform portionunits by a transversally moving severing means 69 includes a straightshank 6| mounted on an operating shaft hereinafter described and asemicircularly bent end 62. The outer free terminus of the end 62 issubstantially in line with the shank 6|. Carried by the shank adjacentthe bent end 62, there is provideda dielectric terminal block 63 havingan electrical terminal clip 64 engaging the arm 69 to supply currentthereto and a spaced terminal 65 to which is secured a severing wire 66.The severing wire 66 extends straight out from the shank 6| to the outerfree by adjustment of the screws 99 the block may be pivotally moved onits bolt 96 thus to change the location of the pivot bolt 94 of the arm92.

7, Since the amplitude of pivotal movement of the terminal of the end 62and is conductively joined with the end 62 at such free "outer terminal.When current is supplied to the clip 64 and the terminal 65 theresistance of the thin severing wire causes the wire to become hot sothat upon movement of the arm .69 across the path of material flow thehot severing wire will swiftly and cleanly sever a unit of material.

Power is preferably supplied to the,device by a motor 19 mounted upon apivotally suspended motor base II.

through which extends the vertical main drive shaft 8| by which powerfrom the motor I9 is delivered to the drive mechanism. Tension of thebelt 11 maybe conveniently varied by adjustment of a tension rod 82 bywhich the pivotal location of the base II may be altered to tighten orrelax the belt tension.

The timing 'of the operations of the various instrumentalities includingcarrier movement, receptacle feed and material dispensing, iscoordinated and accurately synchronized by mutually deriving actuatingpower from the shaft 8| driven by motor 19. By this arrangement it willbe understood that the indexing of the carrier 29 is timed with thereciprocationsof, the receptacle serving device so that a receptacle isaccurately located in each notch 2| of the carrier as the carrier comesto rest after its indexing motion. Likewise the severing devicefunctions in sequence with the indexing of the carrier so that a unit ofmaterial is severed and dropped into accurate location within thereceptacle during the pause between the indexing movements of thecarrier. Similarly the carrier locating and locking device is timed withthe operations of the receptacle feed and the severing means.

The carrier 29 is indexed by means of a cam 99 secured for rotation withthe shaft 8|. The cam 99 is of segmental character and upon rotation isadapted to oscillate the follower arm 92 which carries, intermediate itsends, a follower roller 93. The arm 92 is mounted on an adjustablepiv'ot bolt 94 carried by a pivot block 95 which block is itselfpivotally mounted to the base I9 by a pivot bolt 96. An adjustingU-shaped bracket 91 is provided secured with the block 95 to the base I9by the bolt 96. The legs of the bracket 91 extend upwardly on eitherside of the block 95 each leg being provided with an adjustable setscrew 98. The inner ends of the set screws 98 engage the side of theblock 95 so that A transversally extending pintle I2 supported inbearing blocks I3 is carried by arm 92 is partially determined by thelocation of its pivot point with respect to the axis of the cam 99, itwill be seenthat adjustment of such pivot point will vary the amplitudeof oscillations of the arm 92.

The arm 92 is normally urged towards counterclockwise rotation, to theleft, as shown in Fig. 5, by a spring I99 secured as at IN to the rearleft hand stanchion I2 and is secured at its opposite end to a hook I92on the outer extremity of the arm 92. A rack I93 is pivotally secured tothe outer end of the arm 92 by a bolt I94 the arrangement being suchthat oscillations of the arm 92, underthe influence of the cam 99, willcause corresponding reciprocations of the rack I93. The teeth I95 of therack I93 are in constant engagement with a gear I96 loosely mounted uponthe spindle 22 of the table 29. A roller guide I91 is mounted on theindex supporting plate I99 to bear against the back of the rack I93 tomaintain enmeshment of the teeth I95 with the gear I96. Clockwiseperiodic rotation or indexing of the carrier 29 and its spindle 22 isprovided for by means of a spring urged pawl 9 carried upon the upperface of the gear I96 and engaging ratchet teeth III formed on a ratchetmember 2 which is rigidly secured for driving relation with the spindle22. The ratchet member II2 also includes a recessed locator wheel 3having notches therein corresponding in number and alignment with thenotches 2| of the carrier 29. A locator arm H9 is mounted from the plateI99 by a support 5 and. carries at its outer end a locator roller H6,compression spring II'I being provided to normally urge the roller 6against the locator II3.

In the operation of the indexing mechanism, upon rotation in the shaft8| the cam 99 will cause the arm 92 to be oscillated thereby impartingreciprocations to the rack I 93 which reciprocations will impartcharacteristically reversed rotations of the gear I96. During theclockwise rotation of the gear, the paul I I9 will engage the teeth IIIto rotate the spindle 22 in clockwise rotation while reversed rotationof the gear will cause the paul to slip over the teeth III withoutrotating the spindle 22 and thus the spindle is caused to periodicallyrotate, or index, the locator being operative to break the momentum ofthe spindle 22 at the end of each indexing rotation thereof and tofrictionally retain the spindlein its index position.

It will be understood that the configuration of the cam 99 and the gearratio between the rack and the gear I96 is such that upon each motion ofthe cam, the spindle 22 will be rotated 60 or of a revolution so thatthe indexing will successively present the receptacle notches 2| of thecarrier 29 to the receptacle supply station and to the dispensingstation.

For more accurately locating the carrier notches at the end of eachindexing movement, and for locking the carrier against inadvertentmovement between indexing cycles, there is provided a carrier lockcomprising a bell-crank I29 pivotally mounted as at I2I to be located inthe plane of the carrier 29. The free arm I22 of the bell-crank isprovided with a resilient tip I23 which is adapted to engage the forwardfacing inner wall of each notch 2| as the carrier terminates itsindexing movement. The opposite arm aia'raoee I24 of the bell-crank isprovided with a cam follower I25 which is urged against a cam I26carried by the shaft BI by means of a compression spring I21. Therelation of the cam projection I28 of the cam I26 with respect to thecam 90 of the indexing mechanism is such that just prior to the outward,or driving, motion of the arm 92, the projection I28 will rotate thebell-crank in slight clockwise direction so as to disengage the end I23from the notch M of the carrier 20 to permit the carrier to be rotatedby means of the paul and ratchet arrangements hereinbefore discussed.Since the projection I28 is of slight angular extension, the followerwill pass from the projection shortly after the indexing movement startsand will thus rest upon the outer circumference of the carrier 20 to bereceived within the next notch M and be in position to abut the oncomingforward inner edge of such notch so as to positively limit the indexingmovement whereby accurate registration of the notches with thereceptacle supply and the dispenser is insured.

The receptacle feed is also provided for in response to rotation of theshaft M. A receptacle feed cam I30 constituting a cylindrical type camis mounted on the shaft 8i. Cam I30 has a vertically inclined cam faceI3I which is adapted to be engaged by follower I32 carried upon areciprocating sleeve I33. Sleeve I33 is normally urged in upwardposition by coil spring I34 and thus the follower I32 is maintained withan upward thrust against the cam surface of the cam I30. The sleeve I33carries the arm 39 within which the suction tube 30 of the pneumaticreceptacle dispenser is mounted. Below the arm 39 the tube 38 isprovided with a suction nipple I35 to which is secured a flexiblesuction tube I36. As indicated in Fig. 2 a suitable suction pump I 38 isprovided by which reduced atmospheric pressure is maintained in the tubeI36 and normally through the tube 38 and the cup 31. Thus when the cupis raised by the spring I34, under the guidance of the cam I30 and intocontact with the lowermost receptacle in the chamber 30, such receptaclewill be engaged and upon lowering of the receptacle will be withdrawnand located within registering notch of the carrier 20.

For releasing a receptacle so withdrawn. the lower end of the tube 38 isprovided with a pivotally mounted valve I39 carried by a valve arm I40pivotally mounted as at I from a bracket extending from an elbow I42mounted upon the tube 38. The free end of the valve arm I40 is providedwith a vertically extending set screw I43, the end of which is adaptedto strike the bed I0 when the receptacle feeding mechanism is in itslowermost position. Upon such striking, the arm I40 is pivoted to removethe valve I39 from the bottom of the tube 38 so as to admit atmosphericpressure and to thus release the receptacle for indexing movement withthe carrier.

The severing arm 60 is eso adapted to be operated by rotation of themain shaft BI. The operating mechanism for the cam 60 includes avertically extending shaft I mounted through the bridge I3 and providedon the lower end thereof with the severing arm 60.

Above the bridge the shaft I50 is provided with an actuating arm I5Icarrying a follower I52. Follower I52 is adapted to be engaged by a camI53 carried upon a stud I54 to which is secured. for rotation therewith,a driving gear I55. Driv- 8 ing gear I55 meshes with a companion gearI55 mounted on the shaft BI, the arrangement being such that upon therotation of the shaft, the gear I56 will rotate with gear I55andtherewith the stud I54 and the cam I53.

For the purposes of adjusting the dwell period of the severing device atthe end of its severing stroke, the cam I53 is formed as a compound camhaving upper and lower cam segments I530. and I53b respectively. Thesegments are secured in relative adjusted position by a securing boltI56 extending through companion arcuate hole I51 in the segments andengaging the gear I55. By adjusting the relative angular relation ofsuch cams, the severing means may be retained in its actuated positionduring the ensuing operation cycle.

It will be noted that the gear ratio between gears I55 and I56 issubstantially 2 to 1 so that stud I54 and the cam mounted thereon willmake only one revolution in response to two revolutions of the shaft 8|.Thus after an initial severing operation the member 60 will retain itsposition shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4 and thenext severing operationwill be performed by a return stroke the material in the'meantime havingbeen extruded between the portion 62 and the wire 66.

As indicated by the wiring diagram of Fig. 10 the motor 10 is controlledby the motor control switch I10 supplied by a suitable power sourceindicated by the conductors I1 I. The same source of energy is adaptedto supply currentfor heating the severing resistance wire 66. A switchI12 is provided to control the energization of the wire 66 and thecircuit includes a potentiometer I13 together with a transformer I14. Bymeans of the potentiometer the current supplied to the wire 66 may bereadily varied in such manner as to conform with varying requirements.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the motor 10 is energizedby closing the switch I10 the shaft 8| is rotated to initiate thecontinuous operating cycles of the device. The receptacles aresuccessively deposited in the successive notches of the carrier and inthe course of two successive indexing movements are brought intoregistration with the supply tube. Accuracy of such registration isinsured by engagement of the member I23 with the notch of the carrier 50opposite the dispensing station. At the dispensing station the severingdevice is moved to bring the wire 66 through the extruded portion of thematerial which is thus formed into a unit. The unit is thus accuratelylocated within the re- 55 ceptacle in registration with the bottomthereof without contact with the receptacle walls. The package productis moved by the next indexing operation toward the apron 21. By virtueof the gear ratio for the cam I53 the severing means 60 is retained inthe position to which it has been moved as indicated in Fig. 4 duringthe next indexing movement and is thereafter returned to sever the nextsuccessive unit by the return stroke thereof.

It will, of course, be understood that the invention is not limited tothe specific combination of instrumentalities herein set forth nor tothe specific mechanical construction of such-intrumentalities. Numerouschanges and modifica- 70 tions in structural features may be resorted towithout departure from the spirit or scope of the similar food products,the combination with a freezer unit, of a dispensing station comprisinga supply tube having a reduced diameter restricting cylinder connectedtherewith through which the product is extruded as a continuous column,a compacting baffle disposed transversely of the exit end of thecylinder for longitudinally splitting and compacting the column, meansdisposed below said battle for reuniting the column and controlling theextruded shape, a magazine for holding a supply of packaging receptaclesspaced laterally from said dispensing station, a carrier for movingpackaging receptacles from the ma azine one at a time to a positionimmediately below the column of the product at the dispensing station,and severing means including a transversely movable cutter mounted belowsaid means for severing individual portions from the column for depositin a packaging receptacle therebelow, and means for effecting operationof said severing means and carrier.

2. In an ice cream and similar food products packaging machine includingwith a freezer unit the combination of a dispensing station comprising asupply tube through which frozen material can be continuously fed, saidtube having a reduced diameter flow restricting cylinder mounted forcommunication therewith and constituting an elongated restricted passagefor the flow of material from the supply tube, a transversely disposedbaflie mounted at the outlet end of said cylinder and substantiallymedially thereof for dividing the material and compacting the same,means mounted below said baffle constituting a discharge opening of adiameter substantially equal to the diameter of said cylinder, saidrestricting cylinder, baille and means controlling the physicalcharacteristics of the material, a magazine for holding a supply ofpackaging receptacles spaced laterally from said dispensing station, acarrier for moving packaging receptacles from the magazine one at a timeto a position immediately below the column of the product at thedispensing station, severing means including a cutter transverselymovably mounted below said discharge opening for severing individualportions from the column for deposit in a packaging'element therebelow,and means for eilecting operation of said severing means and carrier.

8. In an ice cream and similar food products l packaging machineincluding with a freezer unit, the combination of a dispensing stationcomprising a supply tube through which frozen material can becontinuously fed, said tube having a reduced diameter flow restrictingcylinder mounted for communication therewith and constituting anelongated restricted passage for the flow of material from the supplytube, a supporting cylinder mounted concentrically with said cylinderand providing a support therefor, means mounted at the outlet end ofsaid cylinder for dividing the flow of material therefrom and compactingthe same, the lower end of said supporting cylinder terminating in anannular restricting flange downwardly spaced from said means, saidflange providing a restricting discharge opening of a diametersubstantially equal to the diameter of said restricting cylinder forcontrolling the final configuration of the dispensed material, saidrestricting cylinder, means, and restricting flange controlling thephysical structure of the material, a magazine for holding a supply ofpackaging receptacles spaced laterally from said dispensing station, acarrier for moving packaging receptacles from the magazine one at a timeto a position immediately below the column of the product at thedispensing station, severing means including a cutter transverselymovably mounted below said discharge opening for severing individualportions from the column for deposit in a packaging receptacletherebelow, and means for efiecting operation of said severing means andcarrier.

HERMAN R. SCHULZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

